Rajasthan Budget 2025-26: Rs.25,000 Cr Interest-Free Loan for 35 Lakh Farmers, PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Hiked

Rajasthan’s Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Diya Kumari presented the 2025-26 budget in the Legislative Assembly. The budget includes many major provisions for agriculture, animal husbandry, dairy development, and farmer welfare.

Key Budget Highlights for Farmers:

• Increase in PM Kisan Samman Nidhi: Annual support has been raised to ₹9,000 per farmer, up from the previous amount.
• Interest-Free Agricultural Loans: Over 35 lakh farmers will receive interest-free agricultural loans totaling ₹25,000 crore.
• Bonus on Wheat at MSP: A bonus of ₹150 per quintal will be given for wheat sold at the Minimum Support Price.
• Fencing Subsidy: A grant of ₹324 crore will be provided to 75,000 farmers for 30,000 km of fencing, ensuring crop protection.
• Ram Jal Setu Link Project: ₹9,300 crore allocated to this major irrigation initiative.
• Manoharthana Irrigation Project: Provision of ₹2,250 crore.
• Dholpur Lift & Kaliteer Projects: ₹950 crore allocated for these key water projects.
• Micro Irrigation: Plans to cover 1 lakh+ hectares and implement drip & sprinkler systems on 3.5 lakh hectares, with an expenditure of ₹1,250 crore.
• Agricultural Equipment Subsidy: ₹300 crore will be granted for modern farm equipment, benefiting 1 lakh farmers.
• Global Rajasthan Agri-Tech Meet (GRAM): A major conference to connect farmers with cutting-edge global agri-technologies.
• Expansion of Gopal Credit Card Scheme: ₹150 crore for interest-free loans to 2.5 lakh dairy farmers.
• Veterinary Services: Recruitment of 100 new veterinarians and 1,000 livestock inspectors to boost animal healthcare.
• AI Excellence Centre: An Artificial Intelligence Excellence Centre will be established to promote innovation in agriculture.
• 1,000 Custom Hiring Centres will be created across the state.
• Rajasthan Agricultural Development Scheme (RajKVY): ₹1,350 crore worth of proposed projects for the coming year.
• Centres of Excellence for Maize and Beekeeping: To be set up in Banswara (maize) and Bharatpur (beekeeping).
• International and Interstate Training: 100 Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) members to be sent abroad (including Israel), and 5,000 farmers to receive out-of-state training.
• Subsidised Loans for Long-Term Cooperative Projects: ₹400 crore with 5% interest subsidy for agriculture and non-agriculture cooperatives.
• New KVSS in Eight Districts: Purchase-Sale Cooperative Societies to be established in newly created districts.
• Agro Infrastructure: Mini Food Park at Anupgarh–Sri Ganganagar and Agro Food Park at Sanchore–Jalore to be developed.
• Power Cleaning Machines to be introduced to improve the quality of agricultural produce.
• Garlic Excellence Centre: To be established in Baran.

Animal Husbandry & Dairy Development:

• Mukhyamantri Mangla Pashu Bima Yojana: Insurance coverage for livestock farmers to be doubled, with ₹200 crore additional provision.
• Under Livestock Free Health Scheme, the number of free medicines and vaccines increased to 200.
• Milk Plant Expansion: ₹540 crore allocated for increasing milk processing capacity.
• New dairy plants with a combined cost of ₹225 crore to be established in Alwar, Udaipur, Banswara, Bharatpur, and Sawai Madhopur.
• New bypass protein cattle feed plants to be set up in Rajsamand–Nathdwara and Udaipur at ₹150 crore.
• Target of 13 lakh litres daily milk collection; 1,000 new cooperative societies/collection centers to be established.
• Daily Subsidy for Cow Shelters and Bull Shelters: ₹50 per animal.
• 200 new veterinary sub-centres to be set up across 200 gram panchayats.
• A Sex-Sorted Semen Lab will be established in Bassi–Jaipur.
• Recruitment of 100 veterinary officers and 1,000 livestock inspectors to strengthen animal health services.

With these steps, the Rajasthan government aims for holistic development in agriculture, animal husbandry, and dairy sectors, thereby increasing farmers’ income and livelihoods.